Fastener catch for containers



June 10, 1930. w. E. WACKER I FASTENER CATCH FOR CONTAINERS Filed April 8, 1929 INVENTOR MZ/zam E Wafaz;

. ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. WAGKER, OF MAPLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AUGUST GOE'RTZ 8a (30., INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY FASTENER CATCH FOR CONTAINERS Application filed April 8, 1929. Serial No. 353,523.

This invention relates to an improved fastener catch means for boxes and similar containers; and the invention has for its principal object to provide a novel cooperating releasable catch or latch device for holding separable sections of a box or similar container in closed relation.

The invention has for a further object to provide a box catch or latch means of neat and attractive appearance, and of such character that the same may be easily and quickly manipulated, even with gloved fingers, thus providing a catch or latch means especially usefulin connection with small boxes, such as womens vanity cases, coin holders, and other containers for personal use.

The invention has for another object to provide a construction of box catch or latch which may be cheaply and easily manu factured and assembled, comprising a minimum number of parts, and of such design that the cooperative holding elements are concealed, with the exception of the thumbpiece, when the box is closed.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of a box equipped with the novel catch or latch means of this invention, the box being shown in open condition; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of said box when closed; Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section, showing the cooperative elements of the novel catch or latch elements about to be engaged when closing the box; Figure dis a similar view showing the catch or latch elements moving into engagement, and Figure 5 is a similar View showing the completed engagement of the catch or latch elements.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the combined latch plate and finger piece of the catch or latch means, together with the spring member thereof; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary perspective of an end wall of a box section arranged for application of said latch plate and finger piece thereto; and Fig. 8 is a fragmentary perspective of the cooperating box section having the catch tongue and nosing connected with an end wall thereof.

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates one box section and 2 the other box section. Said box sections 1 and 2 may be hinged together by the hinge connection 3 so that the same may be closed one upon the other. The box sections 1 and 2 may be so constructed and arranged, that the free edges 4 of their side walls abut one upon the other when the sections are closed together.

Extending from the margin of the free end wall of the box section 1, so as to depend therefrom, either as an integral part thereof as shown, or as a separate part suitably secured thereto, is a catch tongue 5 which is somewhat inwardly inclined or off-set from the plane of said free end wall. Formed in said catch tongue 5 so as to project from the inner face thereof is a catchnosing 6.

Formed in the free end wall of the box section 2 is an outwardly bowed or off-set section 7 adapted to provide a receiving space 8 aligned with the path of movement of said catch tongue 5 of the box section 1, and within which said catch tongue 5 may extend when the box sections 1 and 2 are closed together. The marginal edge portion of said free end wall of the box section 2 is cut-away to provide a space or notch 9 disposed below the line of the meeting edges of said box sections 1 and 2 when the same are closed together. Also formed in the free end wall of the box section 2, re-

spectively on opposite sides of said outwardly bowed or offset section 7 thereof, are openings or slots 10.

The reference character 11 indicates a combined thumb or finger piece and latch plate comprising a hollow shell adapted to provide a chambered interior 12 open at its rear side or face. Integrally connected with the upper wall of said hollow shell 11 and projecting rearwardly therefrom, preferably in the same horizontal plane, isa latch plate 13 having a latch slot 1 1 formed therein and suitably disposed to align itself at proper times with the receiving space 8 heretofore described. Integrally connected with the ends of said hollow shell 11, to project rearwardly therefrom, are attachment lugs 15.

The reference character 16 indicates a bowed spring member, which cooperates with the finger-piece and latch-plate to yieldably hold the latch-plate element in latching position.

The finger-piece and latch plate is assembled in operative relation to the box section 2 by inserting the attachmentlugs 15 through the openings or slots 10 in the free end wall of said box section, and then turning the same over along the inner face of said end wall, as shown more especially in Figs. 1, 3, 4, and 5. of the drawings. Suiiicient play is allowed for between the turned over end portions of the attachment lugs 15 and the adjoining inner face of the end wall of the box section 2 to permit of a limited movement of the finger-piece and latch plate-toward and away from the said Wall. The bowed spring member 16 is arranged within the chambered interior 12 of shell 11, with its extremities footing against the front wall of the latter. shell 11 is assembled, the intermediate arched portion of said spring 16 abuts against the outer face of said offset section 7 of the end wall of said box section 2, so that said spring is compressed or placed under tension; the spring tension thus produced exerting itself upon the shell 11 to move the same, together with the latch plate 18 to the outward limit of movement permitted by the loose connection of said attachment lugs 15 above described. When the shell 11 is assembled in attached relation to the box section 2, the latch plate'13 will project inwardly through the space or notch 9 provided in the margin of the free end wall of said box section, with its latch slot 14' overhanging the inner receiving space 8 formed by the offset section 7 of said wall. 7

With the several parts of the catch means arranged and assembled as above described,

when the box section 1 is closed down upon the box section 2, the end of the catch tongue 5 will register within the rear edge of the latch slot 14 of the latch plate'13 (see Fig. 3). As the downward movement of the box section 1 is continued, the catchnosing 6 will bear against the rear edge of said'latch slot 1 1 and will force the latchplate 13 together with the shell 11 inward When theagainst the tension of the spring 16, so as to allow said catch-nosing to pass downward through the latch slot (see Fig. 4). As the box section moves to finally closed position, the catch-nosing 6 will pass beneath the latch-plate 13, whereupon the spring 16 will thrust the latch plate and shell 11 to the outward limit of movement, thus engaging the rear edge of the latch slot above the catch-nosing and'in holding relation thereto, whereby the box sections are retained in closed relation (see Fig. 5).

To release the box section 1 for opening movement, inwardpressure is applied to the finger-piece or shell 11 to move the same together with the latch plate 13 inward, thereby removing the rear edge of the latch slot 14 from the path of movement of the catch nosing 6 so that the catch tongue 5 may be upwardly withdrawn through said latch slot, and consequently releasing the box section 1 for opening movement.

From the above description it will be obvious that the catch mechanism is of simple and efilcient construction, and that the same.

may be easily and quickly manipulated.

Due to the novel construction, a finger piece of generous proportions is provided, which may be easily located and manipulated by theuser of the box, while at the same time an attractive appearance is aiforded by the exterior surfaces and contour of said fingerpiece, which may be made smooth and polished, or may be embellished with surface decoration if desired.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a'container having sections movable into closed relation one upon the other, a catch tongue depending from the margin of the free end wall of one section, a catch nosing carried by said catch tongue, a slotted latch platemovable across the margin of the free end wall of the other section to liein the path of movement of said catchtongue, a finger-piece carried by said latch plate, means for connecting said finger piece to the exterior face of the free end wall of said other section subject to a limited movement toward and away from the same, and spring means intermediate said finger-piece and said latter end wallfor yieldably holding said finger-piece in position to dispose said latch plate in holding'relation to-said catch- 7 fines of said other section, a slotted latchplate movable across said free end wall of the lattersection, said free'end wall'of said latter section having a cut-away portion in its margin through which said latch plate extends to lie in the path of movement of said catch element, a finger-piece carried by said latch plate, and means for connecting said finger piece exteriorly to said free end wall of the latter section subject to a limited movement toward and away from the same.

3. In a container having sections movable into closed relation one upon the other, a catch element depending from a free end wall of one section, the corresponding free end wall of the other section having an outwardly off-set portion providing a receiving space for said catch element within the confines of said other section, a slotted latchplate movable across said free end wall of the latter section, said free end wall of said latter section having a cut-away portion in its margin through which said latch plate extends to lie in the path of movement of said catch element, a fingerpiece carried by said latch-plate, means for connecting said finger piece exteriorly to said free end wall of the latter section subject to a limited movement toward and away from the same, and spring means for yieldably holding said finger-piece in position to dispose said latch plate in holding relation to said catch element.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of March, 1929.

WILLIAM E. WACKER. 

